Band of Brothers
by Willful Redhead
Summary: A brief one-shot look at the episode "A Ring for Hannah" from a different perspective.


_I started this one-shot ages ago, but then sort of left it alone - because I didn't want to have it seen next to "Surfacing" which is just brilliantly and carefully crafted. My two favorite episodes were "The Race" and "A Ring for Hannah" but both of them feel like they have some missing spots. This was my attempt to deal with that. It is just a one-shot. I appreciate all reviews, and love hearing from you._

***7***

Hannah shivered and glanced around. It seemed that people were everywhere; running and doing important things. Men dressed in hard hats and protective gear were coming and going from the mine. Reporters and their crews gathered in clusters trying to decide who or what to film next. Glancing to her left, she could see Mrs. Barrett, surrounded by a huddle of women; friends gathered to support the frightened mother. The only mother here, waiting for her child. Reporters had been watching her since her arrival;

Hannah sighed and rubbed her arms trying to get warm. She was waiting near the mine opening and thought of moving out of the shade but thinking of Evan, Guthrie and Ford trapped down deep in the cold and dark, she stayed where she was trying to remember if all the boys had been wearing their coats. She tried to picture them as they had left the house; all of them, even Jenny, wearing mischievous grins that had left her suspicious. She hadn't even noticed Daniel waiting for them in the yard.

She wished she'd asked them what they were up to. She wished she'd thought to warn them to stay away from the mine. She wished she'd hugged them close to her and kissed their smooth foreheads. She swallowed down a sob thinking of their faces.

"What about her?" She heard a nearby voice. "Is she the mother?" It was one of the reporters who had come to the mine.

"No, " The man standing beside him said, taking a long drag on a cigarette. "She's nobody." He flicked the stub of his cigarette to the ground grinding it out with his toe. "Come on. Let's see if we can catch the mom."

She watched them walk away, feeling utterly alone. She brushed the lone tear that had escaped.

"_Is_ _she_ _the_ _mother_?"

"_No_."

No. She wasn't their mother. She wasn't anyone's mother. Her hand rested on her flat stomach. If things had gone differently, she'd be six months pregnant by now. But she wasn't. She harbored a deep, secret fear that she never would be; never be anyone's mother at all.

"Hannah?" She turned startled to see Marie standing beside her.

"Did something happen?" Her heart rate increased. She peered into the dark mine entrance.

"No, no." Marie put a hand on Hannah's arm. "Honey, you're shaking. Come on. Let's go out into the sun where it is warm."

"No. I want to stay close."

"Hannah, honey, you need to get warm and eat something." Marie held her by her shoulders, forcing her to look into her eyes.

"I can't just now." She met Marie's piercing gaze. "This whole thing is so stupid! I _have_ a ring! Adam gave me one!"

"I know. I was there." Marie said gently.

"Why? Why would they go in there? Why? Daniel's not a child! He knows better! I don't need . . ." She choked on a sob as Marie steered her clear of some workers and out into the sun.

"Sit down." She indicated a nearby bench. Hannah obediently sat.

"I don't want any gold! I just want my . . ."

"We'll get to them. You just have to wait and hope and pray. Your boys will be right here in your arms. You wait." Marie sat beside her one arm draped over her trembling shoulders.

"They aren't my boys." She said softly. "I'm not their mother."

"You've been listening to those idiot reporters!" Marie shook her head. "I've heard them talking, too." She glanced up at the crowd near Mrs. Barrett. "They can only write simple stories because their brains are simple."

"I'm no one's mother." Hannah said stubbornly.

"Don't dig your heels in just to punish yourself." She sighed and brushed a hand through Hannah's hair. "Hannah, I've lived here forever. That's my grandmother's cafe. She was the first Marie. I _knew_ Adam and Kate McFadden. I was there when they died. I fed those boys once a week for years and years; nearly every woman in this town did. We all pitched in as much as we could, but Guthrie, Evan, Ford and Daniel would never climb into a dark, abandoned mine for any of us." She looked pointedly at Hannah.

"I didn't ask them too! Guthrie told me the story- he and Evan did. And I said I thought it was romantic! It's my fault not Daniel's. And sooner or later, Adam is gonna realize that." She covered her face with her hands.

"You are so determined to be mean to yourself." Marie smiled sadly at Hannah. She brushed a maternal hand over Hannah's forehead. "Honey, you told me you were marrying him about one hour before you did. Did I try and stop you?"

"No."

"A quick marriage like that seems crazy; don't you think?"

"I guess." Hannah looked up at Marie puzzled.

"I didn't protest because I had seen Adam's eyes when he looked at you. He _never_ looked at any girl that way. Never. We used to try to find someone, anyone who would be able to help him. Everyone was trying to match him with the perfect girl. But you walked in asking for a job and all I saw was Robert Brown's poor, lost granddaughter."

"You knew Grandpa?" Hannah was shocked.

"You were so little when you moved away. Honey, this town is _small_. I remember my mother begging your mother to leave your father and take you and Grace away."

"People knew?"

"Oh, darlin'. So many people tried to help her but he had such a power over her! Anyway, I wasn't thinking of Adam at all when I first saw you, and then I saw the two of you together, sitting on the back step after that guy had decked him. Remember that?"

"That was the day we met!" Hannah smiled in spite of herself, remembering it.

"I saw you with him and I could see it all; the two of you together. I knew it and I thought, _Well, there she is. At last._"

Marie smiled at Hannah, who blushed. "This town has been looking after those boys since we lost their parents. We did the best we could. As they got older, they learned to manage on their own, but we never stopped watching; never stopped worrying. Every night one of the last things I would think before I'd close my eyes was always to wonder how those poor boys were doing and if the little ones were tucked in snug." She looked at Hannah, a hand on the side of Hannah's pale face. "I haven't thought that once for nearly a year now. I know they are tucked in snug. They aren't a sad band of motherless babies any more."

"I'm just their . . ."

"No, you aren't. And don't give me some line about how they are already grown, either! I've seen them look at you. I was there at the hospital waiting with them when they nearly lost you! I held their hands as they wept. How Daniel cried and cried and Guthrie begged to stay and sleep in the hallway. Crane had to carry him away." Hannah's eyes opened wide in surprised, and Marie nodded at her, rubbing her arm.

"I just want them safe. I just want them in my arms." She looked up at Marie with deeply pained eyes. "My arms ache for them. Is that possible?"

Marie laughed and kissed Hannah's forehead. "Yes. A mom always longs for her babies to be safe and close."

"I'm not . . . I don't have any children."

"You've got six - somedays, I bet, seven! And soon you will have more. Soon, honey." Marie squeezed her shoulder.

"Oh . . . I . . . I. . . Marie, I didn't hug them this morning. Why didn't I hug them? And I was short-tempered with Evan yesterday! He tracked mud through the kitchen and . . . Daniel is suffering so! He needs Adam but Adam can't . . . What if we can't get to them? Adam would never be able to endure it. I could never . . . I want my boys!" She turned and sobbed against Marie's shoulder.

"Shhh. Hush now. Hush. Adam will get to those boys! You just wait and pray."

Hannah sat up, wiping her face. "I can't. Adam needs me to be strong just now. I've got to . . . I need to check on Daniel." She rose and looked back at Marie. "Marie, I can't thank you . . ."

"Oh, now. None of that. You need a shoulder you come to me. And please, eat something. You need your strength." She rose and Hannah hugged her tightly.

"Thank you." Hannah said kissing Marie's cheek. "I don't know why you are so kind to me."

"Oh, I look out for all my girls, but you are . . .well, you of all people should understand blood isn't required to make a family."

Hannah smiled turning away from Marie, but her mood shifted as she saw Crane stagger out of the mine limping.

"Crane! What happened?" She ran to him as he staggered over to a bench and sat down.

"Rock crushed my foot. I don't think it's broken. Adam sent me out to get it checked. You know how he worries."

"Yeah." She said kneeling and unlacing his boot. She lifted his foot out gingerly and he winced. She peeled back his sock. "Can you wiggle your toes?" She held his bare foot in her hands. "Not broken but it is already bruising. I'd tell to you take it easy but . . ." She rubbed his foot gently. "Can you hear them?" She looked up at him with giant, frightened eyes.

He shook his head slowly looking down at her. "You must love me." He said softly. "No one would touch that filthy, stinky foot unless they were family." He smiled down at her and rubbed the side of her face with his hand.

"I do, Crane. I love all my brothers." She chewed the corner of her lip.

"I guess I better go get the rest of them for you then." He said reaching down and putting his sock back on. He laced up his boot and standing, put his hat back on his head. She rose and followed him back to the open, yawning mouth that had swallowed her brothers; her sons.

"Be careful, Crane." She said as he limped away. "Tell Adam . . . "

"I will." He cut her off. "Don't worry, little Mama, will dig your babies out." He nodded at her and then was swallowed up in darkness.

She made her way back to where people continued to scurry to and fro. Sighing she glanced around seeing they were putting together sandwiches for the workers. She strode over, ready to help.

"Who are you?" A voice asked and she turned to see yet another reporter studying her. "That was one of the brothers, right?"

She nodded her head.

"So, who are you? His wife?"

"No. I married the oldest." She said simply.

"Oh! One of the kids said that Ford told him they were getting gold for a ring. Was it for you?"

"I guess." She shrugged. "It was a surprise." She moved to step past him, but he blocked her path.

"So you're their sister-in-law." He said.

She paused, lost in a memory of their sweet faces.

"Sister." She said confidently, stepping past him.

He scribbled furiously in his notebook and turning back to him she paused and he looked up at her expectantly.

"Actually," She said proudly. "They are my boys. I'm their Mom."

He nodded at her with eyebrows raised, chewing on the top of the pen that he'd been writing with. He watched her as she joined the table of workers.

"Come on, Mike. I got the Mom. Hurry. You can talk to her." He looked up at his cameraman, Mark who had run over to meet him.

"No. I already got her." He said looking back at Hannah.

***7***

Four Months Later . . .

"Open it!" Guthrie could barely contain himself.

"What is this?" Hannah asked.

Crane had called a family meeting and she expected that some important ranch decisions had to be made. She turned to the kitchen, intending to fix them a snack.

"No, darlin'. You too." Adam said holding a hand out to her.

"Okay." She said following him to the front room. She found them all waiting, looking up expectantly.

"What's going on?" She asked nervously.

That's when Guthrie had handed her the present. "Open it!"

"Wait, Guth. Remember." Brian said. "Go ahead Dan'l."

"We missed your anniversary by a good two months, but some things take time. Anyway, this is from all of us."

"We all pitched in." Evan said. "Even Mr. Miser." He said indicating Ford.

"Some things are _worth_ the expense." Ford said with a grin. "Open it Hannah."

Shocked, she glanced at Adam who nodded his head. She turned to the package which contained a small black velvet box. "Oh!" She said understanding what it must be. Her eyes filled with tears. She looked up at their smiling faces and then opened it.

It was beautiful and delicate. It was finely etched with two intertwined hearts - one with an H in the center and the other an A. On either side of the hearts were six stones; three on each side. Each stone a different color; birthstones.

"Oh! It is beautiful." She said delighted.

"We thought to get you an engagement ring since Adam never did." Guthrie explained. "But this seemed a better idea. Brian thought of it. He drew a picture and we gave it and the gold we found to a jewler. Those are our birthstones. That's mine." He pointed.

"I know." She said softly. Pointing to each stone she said, "Brian, Crane, Daniel." She pointed to the other set of stones. "Evan, Ford and Guthrie."

"How'd you know that?" Guthrie asked surprised.

"I know your birthdays, honey." She sniffed.

"I _told_ you!" Evan said. "Girls always know about that birthstone crap." He looked up at Hannah. "Oh, sorry! I mean birthstone stuff."

"You didn't look inside." Ford said softly.

"Oh, there's more?" She wiped her face. "I'm already crying."

She lifted the ring up so that light glowed through its center. The inscription bore one word;

_Mother_.

And now she sobbed in earnest, hugging it to her chest.

"Does she like it?" Guthrie asked, teasing.

"Can't tell, really." Crane said laughing. "If only she'd give some kind of reaction."

"Oh! Shut up!" She said. She slid the ring on her finger. "You all come here! I' m kissing everyone of you!" She looked up at Brian. "Don't try and slink off! You first!"

He sighed and she wrapped her arms around him, kissing his cheek. "You like me." She teased him. "I knew it!"

"Well, you wear a man down with all that damn sweetness." He told her.

She kissed and hugged all of them and then sat on the couch, nestled against Adam's dependable chest, Guthrie leaning against her shoulder on the other side. She stared at the ring on her hand that she'd never wanted, never asked for and that had nearly cost them dearly.

"Play something." Brian said to Daniel. She smiled thinking that this day that had already been miraculously wonderful was turning out to be absolutely perfect.

"Wait." She said. "There's something I want to tell you."

"Brace yourselves, fellas." Evan teased. "A tidal wave of mush is about to hit us."

"You, hush." She said rising. "I was gonna wait, but tonight is perfect so." She rose so that she stood before them all. Turning she faced Adam, who looked up at her puzzled.

She hesitated, unsure.

"I'm pregnant."

She realized that she was standing in nearly this same spot the last time she had said those same words. She could see fear etched on all their faces, but she knelt in front of Adam.

"I'm three months along. And everything is just right this time." She grabbed hold of his hands. "Dr. Meade said everything is great. We don't have to worry at all."

"Really?" He asked, and she nodded at him smiling. "Oh, Hannah." He said, his voice husky with tears. He rose and lifted her up into his arms, kissing her. He turned back to his brothers, who watched them, his arms still around her. "How about that fellas? Don't just sit there! Give her a kiss!"

They rose up and wrapped their arms around her and Adam, but Guthrie hung back unsure. She moved out of the huddle and knelt in front of him.

"Hey," She said, lifting his chin with her fingers. "You wanna call Dr. Meade and talk to him yourself? It's alright, honey. It won't be like last time at all."

"You're sure?" He looked up at her.

"Yeah. It feels different, Guthrie. It's gonna be okay. Or are you nervous about not being the youngest? It doesn't change anything between you and me. You know that, Cowboy."

"No, it isn't that." He sighed. "It makes me nervous. I wouldn't want . . . I can't have anything happen to you." He said. She smiled at him and kissed his forehead. "You'll be a great uncle." She grinned at him.

"Brother." He corrected her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Yeah, that's right." She smiled up at Adam from within Guthrie's embrace.

***7***

Later, they lay in bed together and she stared at the ring on her hand.

"I guess you like it then." He said to her.

"I love it, but part of me hates it, too. That was a nightmare! And it could've just as easily gone the other way. If Daniel hadn't been so determined . . ." She shuddered at the memory.

"It wakes me up at night sometimes." He sighed and rolled over onto his side so that he was looking down into her eyes. His hand resting on her stomach. "A baby?" He asked her again.

"Uh, huh."

He smiled at her. "Are you scared?"

"A little, but every day that passes I feel better. Don't worry, honey. It is gonna go just fine this time."

"A baby." He said again. "Our baby."

"Ours." She said smiling at him.

"I'll be a dad."

"You are a dad." She said. "Aren't you gonna kiss me?" She asked him smiling.

"I don't know. Is it a good idea?" She laughed out loud.

"It is always a good idea, Adam." She said.

"That is not what you said when we were dating." He grinned at her.

"That's only 'cause you were so good looking. I only had so much self-control, and I wanted to do things right."

He laughed at her, remembering her stubbornness; making him wait until their wedding night - only to end up spending that first night searching for cows.

He kissed her softly. "I love you." He whispered and then surprising her he bent his head low and kissed her stomach. "I love you too, Little Baby McFadden. I sure hope you are a sweet, baby girl with dark eyes full of trouble just like your Mama."

She sighed contentedly and wiped her eyes.

"Are you crying?" He asked her shaking his head and turning back to her stomach said, "If you aren't a girl, don't worry I'll explain it all to you later. Girls cry at the strangest times. Especially your Mama here. She cries whenever she's happy."

He lay his head down on her shoulder and she ran her fingers through his thick hair.

"I guess we'll have to get you a second ring." He said.

"Oh no! Adam, please don't give those boys any ideas!"

He laughed, relieved that he _could_ laugh now. "I think we'll just go the traditional route and pick it up at a store."

"Please." She said. They sat together quietly for a time. "I don't need any fancy rings, Adam. I'm happy just with you."

"And my brothers." He said.

"And your brothers." She agreed.

"And the cows."

"I guess the cows." She sighed, but added softly. "And your baby."

"And _our_ baby." He agreed, thinking of what a good and beautiful mother Hannah would be. He could easily imagine her rocking a tiny baby in her arms. A quiet joy washed over him, even more powerful than the joy he had felt that dark night when they'd pulled his brothers from that mine.

"We are awfully lucky, you and me." He said to her, pulling her tightly into his arms. "Sometimes I can't believe how lucky."

He thought briefly of his six brothers all safe and sleeping in their beds, and their own baby sleeping safe within her; waiting to open her eyes to the bright light of day and be embraced by her mother and father, and her six uncles. - A beautiful child, beloved even now.

He thought of his parents and imagined his father's chest swelling with pride at the sight of his granddaughter; his mother refusing to let anyone else hold her. He felt a familiar and painful ache, wishing they were here now.

Hannah, as if reading his thoughts, said, "I read a book once that said that some people believe that all those we've lost hold our children close to them until they are born. I like to think that your parents, and my Mom are watching over our baby even now."

"Yeah." He said surprised to find tears in his eyes. "I like that. They are holding her now, until we can hold her later."

"Her?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"A man can dream." He said. "We'll know soon enough. You really want _another_ cowboy?"

"I love all my cowboys." She said smiling. "But this house could use a little more estrogen, I guess."

"Mom used to say that." He sighed again. "It's funny. A few months ago, I was so scared I couldn't even breathe, and now I'm so happy I can't even . . . Did I say how much I love you? I don't remember."

"You did." She laughed at him.

"I do. If I close my eyes I can still see you; every single inch. I know you by heart. And I can't look at you without remembering a million things. I can still _feel_ you standing beside me at that damn mine; you were so steady. That must've been hard."

"You needed me strong." She said simply. "And you were pretty steady yourself." She studied the ring on her hand. "I still don't understand it. I didn't need it. I didn't even want it - especially after Daniel came running in so terrified. Why? Why did they risk so much for a silly piece of metal?"

"They love you, darlin'. You are their mother. Look at the ring. It even says so." He smiled at her. "I know you aren't even twenty-five just yet, but that baby of ours is number seven for you."

"Eight." She said very softly, and he paled thinking of that first pregnancy.

"Eight. You are right."

He lay with her nestled safe in his arms, and he thought of all his old hopes and dreams that he had once made for himself. His plans to escape this small town and be somebody. He had wanted to roam the wide world and become a man who had everything.

He looked down at Hannah, who had fallen asleep in his arms, and thought of his rowdy, brothers, and even the cows whose distant lowing would someday be a lullaby for his child not yet born, and understood that all his dreams had come true. He _was_ a man who had everything.

***7***

_I did really enjoy the episode "A Ring for Hannah" but really felt some things were missing. They never showed Hannah's perspective on the boys nearly getting killed to get her some gold. They didn't really show the entire family embracing Daniel, and I also thought they should have showed the ring at the end - I mean it is called "A Ring for Hannah". Hello? Missed out on some good closure. _

_Also, in the episode when Adam, Brian and Crane come out of the mine and Crane says, "I don't believe this! We haven't even gotten close." He's limping. He looks like he's in pain too. I always wondered if there was a missing scene that was cut. I don't know if Peter Horton twisted his ankle or stepped on a rock funny, but I sort of used it in this one-shot._


End file.
